Does meeting your spouse online mean you're doomed for divorce?

Culture & Entertainment

Does meeting your spouse online mean you're doomed for divorce?

We’re all familiar with rising
divorce rates. Well, it turns out the means by which couples meet may be a reason for the increase in failed marriages. A study by Michigan State University researchers indicates that spouses who met online are four times more likely to call it quits compared to those who met through traditional means, such as through mutual friends, work or socializing. (Eight percent of marriages that resulted from online dating had been reported as failed, versus two percent of marriages that began through other venues.)
This new report, published in the online journal
Cyberpyschology, Behavior and Social Networking, contradicts previous research (funded by dating site eHarmony) that suggested couples who meet online have a greater chance of success. Not only do marriages that resulted from an online meeting have a greater chance of ending, according to the Michigan State study, but online dating also has less chance of resulting in marriage in the first place: Thirty-two percent of unwed couples who met online split up after the first year versus 23 percent of unwed daters who met elsewhere. In the end, though, relationship quality proved to be a major factor in determining the outcome of relationships, whether couples met on or offline. Ensure you keep your relationship strong with these
six easy ways to be more romantic.
Photo courtesy of kennyjmitchell/FlickrCC